Understanding the WV

Teacher Evaluation System

Significant 2014-2015 Revisions

All educators will complete the

Roster Verification process

each school year.

School-wide Growth (5%) —

Educators in Career and Tech-

nical Education and Pre-K-3

settings will receive an evalua-

tion score based on state sum-

mative assessment results .

A Teacher of Record definition

has been added to Policy 5310.

Timelines have been revised

for convening the year-end

conference and completing the

summative performance rat-

ing.

A guide for teachers from AFT-West-Virginia, AFL-CIO

Purpose and Overview

Effective teachers create a positive, safe and engaging learning environment for all stu-dents in West Virginia. The Educator Evalua-tion System is a research-based system that identifies effective performance and recog-nizes the remarkable contributions teachers make in our schools each and every day. It establishes the process for the evaluation of professional educators in the state and en-sures the evaluation process is applied uni-formly statewide.

WVDE Policy 5310 identifies five major pur-poses for the evaluation system:

1. To promote professional growth and de-velopment that advances student learning in schools;

2. To define and promote high standards for professional personnel and their perform-ance;

3. To provide data that indicates the effec-tiveness of professional personnel as one basis for sound personnel decisions;

4. To provide data for educator preparation programs to identify areas of need and

guide program improvement; and

5. To establish county and school evaluation data that serve as a basis for professional development that specifically targets the area(s) identified for professional growth.

Eighty percent of the evaluation is based on the educator’s ability to perform standards.

For now, all educators will continue to de-velop two student learning goals and 15% of their evaluation will be based upon stu-dent growth as measured by these goals.

School-wide growth will continue to be 5% of an educator’s evaluation; however, CTE educators’ score will be based upon the state summative assessment results of the students they serve, while PreK-3 educa-tors’ scores will be linked to the students at the 4th grade recipient school, specifically derived from the growth data connected only to students they have served. PreK-3 and CTE educators will be linked to stu-dents using the Roster Verification.

PAGE 2 UNDERSTANDING THE WV TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM

Evaluation

responsible for the instruction, shared the instructional re-

sponsibility with another teacher, or played no role in the

instruction.

For both the class roster verification process and the educa-

tor evaluation system, teachers are classified as Assigned

Educator, Contributing Professional, and/or Teacher of Re-

cord. The Teacher of Record is typically a classroom

teacher, but may also include a counselor or librarian who is

assigned direct instructional duties on a school’s master

schedule. Depending on the specific role they fulfill within a

school, educators may be classified as follows:

Teacher of Record—classroom teacher, counselor, librar-

ian/media specialist

Assigned Educator—facilitator/monitor for computer-

based course work, Title 1 educator, ESL educator, coun-

selor, librarian/media specialist

Contributing Professional—academic coach, literacy

coach, remedial/intervention specialist, speech language

pathologist, occupational therapist, Title 1 educator, ESL

educator

Evaluation Timelines

Roster Verification & Teacher of Record

The Roster Verification will be used to accurately link

teachers to students for data quality, educator evalua-

tion, and student growth purposes. The process is to be

completed once per school year by all teachers, includ-

ing co-teachers, CTE and OIEP educators, special ed

teachers, librarians and counselors who provide instruc-

tion and assign grades. As a matter of “best practice,”

the WVDE recommends all permanent/long-term sub-

stitutes also complete the process. Assistant teachers,

paraprofessionals, student teachers, or short-term sub-

stitutes are not included.

Teachers shall complete the roster verification process

each year by reviewing and editing rosters populated

from WVDE data systems. The completed roster verifi-

cation shall be approved by a school-level administrator.

Teachers will verify instructional attribution by con-

firming: 1) the list of students in a class roster, 2) stu-

dent membership in the class by month, and 3) the per-

centage of instruction for which they were responsible

for the given course; i.e., indicate whether you were fully

Beginning of year – October 1

Educators complete self-reflection and begin working on student learning goals

Beginning of year—November 1

Evaluators complete first observations for those on initial and intermediate progressions

Educators submit learning goals

November 1 - January 1

Evaluators complete second observation for those on initial progression

January 1 - March 1

Evaluators complete third observation for those on initial progression

Prior to Last Day for Teachers but not later than June 15

Convene year-end conference and complete summative performance rating

When school-wide data is complete

Educator receives notice and accepts performance rating for previous year

Student learning goals shall be related to im-

proving students’ academic achievement. The

determination of the goals shall be based on the

identified needs of the students.

As per WVDE on October 29, 2014…

“Learning goals should not be written by the

principal. Teachers can work together on goals

with the support of their administrators but the

administrator should not be writing the goals. It

is appropriate for the administrator to review

the goals and provide feedback for revisions.”

Student Learning Goals

PAGE 3

All teachers, including classroom teachers and specialists, are as-signed to one of three progressions at the beginning of each evaluated year. The progression level is as-signed based upon the number of years the educator has as a full-time classroom teacher on a con-tinuing employment contract. The position of school counselor is not considered a progression, but the position is assigned within the pro-gressions component of the Online Educator Evaluation System.

West Virginia Educators

Progressions will be determined by number of service years. For evaluation purposes, newly em-

ployed full-time teachers are as-signed as having one year.

Returning West Virginia

Educators Educators who began their careers in West Virginia and return to the classroom after three or more years will be placed on the Initial Progression, but will be placed at the appropriate progression based on years of experience the follow-ing year provided they received an evaluation rating of accomplished or higher.

Out-of-State Educators

Educators from other states will be placed on the Initial Progression

for three years, but evaluators may advance an effective teacher (rating of accomplished or higher) to the appropriate progression based on years of experience after the first year. Professional Development and support, as part of induction, are required for educators on the Ini-tial Progression whose perform-ance is evaluated as emerging on a single element. In the Intermedi-ate and Advanced Progressions, emerging performance is ad-dressed at the school and district level. Professional development should be available to any educa-tor who seeks to improve.

Educator Progressions

Initial

Years 1-3

Goal Setting

Self-Reflection

Evidence and Feedback

Four Observations

Not less than 30 min. each

Two scheduled

One scheduled in fall and one in spring

Intermediate

Years 4-5

Goal Setting

Self-Reflection

Evidence and Feedback

Two Observations

Not less than 30 min. each

One scheduled

One in fall and one in spring

Advanced

Years 6 +

Goal Setting

Self-Reflection

Self-rating at the distinguished level requires evidence

Evidence and Feedback

Observations by request on dis-cretion of principal

Performance Levels

Distinguished

Distinguished performance

describes professional teach-

ing that engages students to be

highly responsible for their

own learning. Performing at

this level involves contributing

to the professional learning of

others through teacher leader-

ship.

Accomplished

Accomplished performance

describes professional

teaching that exhibits mas-

tery of the work of teaching

while improving practice

and serving the profes-

sional community.

Emerging

Emerging performance

represents teaching that

demonstrates knowledge

and skills to implement es-

sential elements albeit not

always successfully at

times.

Unsatisfactory

Unsatisfactory performance

describes teaching that

does not convey sufficient

understanding of concepts

or the successful implemen-

tation of essential elements.

The educator evaluation system recognizes four distinct levels of performance to describe teacher

effectiveness. Rubrics guide the determination of specific performance levels. A specific rating may fluctu-

ate from one year to another in an instance of changing grade level, content area, or similar circumstances.

Educators provide evidence to support the determination of performance level rating for the five profes-

sional teaching standards. Evaluators will not use checklists to determine ratings.

Corrective Action Plans are

designed to offer additional sup-

port. At least one observation must

be completed for the educator prior

to the beginning of a Corrective Ac-

tion Plan. A Corrective Action Plan

may not be repeated; the educator

must successfully complete the plan

or risk termination.

Reasons for Corrective Action Plan:

Inadequate progress on a Focused

Support Plan, and unsatisfactory

performance based on one or more

of the of the five performance stan-

dards on a completed evaluation

Certain instances of misconduct

may require immediate action

and/or a Corrective Action Plan

(see WV Code §18A-2-8)

Unsatisfactory performance involv-

ing student learning goals, but only

in conjunction with one or more of

the five performance standards

Please note - Unsatisfactory perform-

ance related to a single element cannot

initiate a Corrective Action Plan. Unsat-

isfactory performance related to a single

element is addressed through quality

sustained job-embedded professional

development and support

Essential Components:

Identified area of unsatisfactory perform-

ance with reference to the standard(s)

Expectation for change

18-week timeline

Resources for support, including referral to

other educators

Focus Support Plans are

designed to be a proactive, pre-

ventative measure to support

individual improvement and

professional growth.

A Focused Support Plan may

commence only after a pur-

poseful conversation between

the educator and the evaluator,

when there is documented evi-

dence indicating an area of con-

cern based on one or more of

the performance standards, and

after a minimum of one obser-

vation is complete for the edu-

cator.

Essential Components:

Identified area of concern with refer-

ence to the standards to be addressed

Expectation for change

9 week timeline

Resources for support

Signatures

Focused Plan of Support time-

line:

Review evidence after nine weeks

and if the standard has been met,

the plan is complete.

If adequate progress has been

made but the standard has not

been met, the plan may be ex-

tended for an additional nine

weeks.

If adequate progress has not been

made after 18 weeks, an evalua-

tion will be completed and a cor-

rective action plan will begin.

Plans for Support and Improvement

UNDERSTANDING THE WV TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM PAGE 4

As part of a comprehensive system of support, the evaluation system pro-

vides educators with methods and plans to address areas of concern. All

plans should be based on trust, support and professional growth neces-

sary for successful implementation. Both the focused support plan and

the corrective action plan recognize that time, resources and collaboration

with other educators are essential to success.

For more information on

the WV Teacher Evalua-

tion System, visit AFT-

WV’s resource page at

www.aftwv.org or call

your AFT representative

at 1-800-222-9838 to

schedule a faculty senate

presentation at your

school.

NOTE: WV Code 18A-2-8 includes provisions for addressing immorality, incompetency, cruelty, insubordination, intemperance, willful neglect of duty, the

conviction of a felony or a guilty plea or a plea of nolo contendere to a felony charge.

Evidence

Evidence can be as simple as a date and

name of an event if such data provides

information on a particular professional

standard. It can also be any type of

description of a teaching activity, that

informs the evaluator about a particular

standard. Educators who do not sub-

mit evidence to the online evaluation

system are not eligible to receive a Dis-

tinguished rating.

There are three instances in which the

submission of evidence is required:

When an educator rates him/

herself as Distinguished on any of

the standard elements within the

self-reflection component of the

evaluation.

When an evaluator’s opinion dif-

fers on a rating submitted by an

educator on a self-reflection.

When an evaluator rates an educa-

tor as unsatisfactory on any ele-

ment within the professional stan-

dards.

AFL-CIO